Programme for 50th Annual Logger's Bonspiel. March 23-27, 2005. Golden Anniversary Commerative Program. Features image of logging truck on front, and Terrace curling club logo (Est. 1955 Terrace Curling Club).
Programme for 50th Annual Logger's Bonspiel. March 23-27, 2005. Golden Anniversary Commerative Program. Features image of logging truck on front, and Terrace curling club logo (Est. 1955 Terrace Curling Club).
Physical Condition
Good
Material
paper
Condition Remarks
Crease in middle
Height
21.5cm
Width
17.5cm
Accession Number
2020.12.19
Biographical Notes
Items Collected by Malcom Baxter, former editor of NSP. Malcolm died in 2020. His father Basil, was very instrumental in the organization of Kitimat in the early years. Basil was married to Cathy Baxter and they had two sons - Malcolm and Michael. The items were delivered by Judith Cullington - Malcolm's sister-in-law.
Invitation from The Mayor & Council of the District of Kitimat for the 50th Anniversary Appreciation Soiree. Kitimat 50th logo on front. Invitation is white with purple paper inside.
Invitation from The Mayor & Council of the District of Kitimat for the 50th Anniversary Appreciation Soiree. Kitimat 50th logo on front. Invitation is white with purple paper inside.
Physical Condition
Good
Material
paper
Height
11cm
Width
14cm
Accession Number
2020.12.5
Biographical Notes
Items Collected by Malcom Baxter, former editor of NSP. Malcolm died in 2020. His father Basil, was very instrumental in the organization of Kitimat in the early years. Basil was married to Cathy Baxter and they had two sons - Malcolm and Michael. The items were delivered by Judith Cullington - Malcolm's sister-in-law.
3 identical invitations for the Kitimat 50th Anniversary Party. Features old photo of surveyor and colour aerial of Kitimat.
Physical Condition
Good
Material
paper
Height
11cm
Width
14cm
Accession Number
2020.12.6
Biographical Notes
Items Collected by Malcom Baxter, former editor of NSP. Malcolm died in 2020. His father Basil, was very instrumental in the organization of Kitimat in the early years. Basil was married to Cathy Baxter and they had two sons - Malcolm and Michael. The items were delivered by Judith Cullington - Malcolm's sister-in-law.
Four copied maps showing the grease trail within traditional Haisla territory. One map is put together with different sheets in a patchwork style. The maps were prepared for the Haisla Land Claims Centre.
Four copied maps showing the grease trail within traditional Haisla territory. One map is put together with different sheets in a patchwork style. The maps were prepared for the Haisla Land Claims Centre.
2 land use maps from The District of Kitimat Planning Department December, 1979. Both plans are Schedule B, Official Community Plan of the District of Kitimat.
2 land use maps from The District of Kitimat Planning Department December, 1979. Both plans are Schedule B, Official Community Plan of the District of Kitimat.
This fonds consists of materials created or collected by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in British Columbia, particularly during her tenure as the Museum's first curator (1969-1981). It is divided into three series:
Series 1: Photographs - approx. 330 photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Gisela Mendel, showing the local area, flora and fauna, Museum displays, Kitamaat Village and its residents, traditional Haisla cultural activities, etc.
Series 2: Kitimat Flora Collection - 12 boxes of pressed and dried flora from the local area, with associated information.
Series 3: Logbooks and scrapbooks - logbooks from Clague and Squirrel Mountains (1957-1969), accounts of Mendel family outings (1963-1968), scrapbook/photo album from Stikine road trip (1999), textual material and photos on regional hiking rails from binder on assembled by Gisela.
Series 4: Maps - 23 regional maps collected and annotated by Gisela.
ca. 10.5 cm textual material (logbooks, scrapbooks)
23 maps
History / Biographical
Gisela Heimbach Mendel was the first curator of the Kitimat Museum and Archives (then known as the Kitimat Centennial Museum). She was born in Germany in 1922 and worked as a pharmacist in East Prussia when the Russians invaded. She fled the Russians and immigrated to Canada in 1952 with her husband, Hans, and their children. Unhappy with the geography of Southern Ontario - in her words, she was a "mountain woman" - she chose Kitimat as her home.
In her earliest years in Kitimat (beginning 1956), Gisela collected botanical specimens for the Royal BC Museum in Victoria. She served as the first curator of the Kitimat Centennial Museum from the building's opening in 1969 until her retirement in 1981, when she and Hans moved to Smithers. Gisela was responsible for not only showcasing local art and history, but building a strong and varied permanent collection of artifacts and archival items upon which future curators could build.
As she was working in a relatively young community, town history was not considered a priority so much as regional history, natural history and Haisla First Nations cultural traditions, which Gisela documented with great intensity. One of her projects was creating an ethno-botanical dictionary with the help of Haisla elders, identifying the Haisla names and traditional uses for various plants. In 1972, the Northern Sentinel reported that each weekend Gisela made the rounds of her secret botanical hunting grounds to replace the display of floral specimens in her exhibits. She was a tremendous record-keeper and journalist, had a great life of the outdoors, and developed many close friendships in Kitimat and Kitamaat Village. Her thirst for information was incredible, and the Museum and the community benefitted immensely from her passion for gathering and recording knowledge. In the 1990s she received the Award of Merit from the BC Museums Association in recognition of her work. She passed away in 2008.
Custodial History
Materials in this fonds were created by Gisela Mendel during her time as Museum Curator, or donated by her, her family members, or other community members following her retirement.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of materials created or collected by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in British Columbia, particularly during her tenure as the Museum's first curator (1969-1981). It is divided into three series:
Series 1: Photographs - approx. 330 photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Gisela Mendel, showing the local area, flora and fauna, Museum displays, Kitamaat Village and its residents, traditional Haisla cultural activities, etc.
Series 2: Kitimat Flora Collection - 12 boxes of pressed and dried flora from the local area, with associated information.
Series 3: Logbooks and scrapbooks - logbooks from Clague and Squirrel Mountains (1957-1969), accounts of Mendel family outings (1963-1968), scrapbook/photo album from Stikine road trip (1999), textual material and photos on regional hiking rails from binder on assembled by Gisela.
Series 4: Maps - 23 regional maps collected and annotated by Gisela.
